Hawaii fishermen find skiff from Japan tsunami

The Associated PressHONOLULU — U.S. Coast Guard officials in Hawaii say fishermen have found a 16-foot Japanese skiff swept out to sea by last year’s tsunami and brought it to Honolulu.

The Coast Guard said Friday the crew of the fishing boat Zephyr found the small boat intact and floating about 800 miles north of Honolulu.

The Japanese consulate in Honolulu says the boat is registered in Iwate, a northeastern prefecture hit by the tsunami. The owner doesn’t want it back.

Hawaii officials checked the boat for invasive species and radiation as a precaution.

The boat is the second confirmed piece of tsunami debris to arrive in Hawaii. Last month, a large blue plastic bin used to transport seafood was found floating in waters off eastern Oahu. The bin was from Fukushima.